Merrifield comments, "I cannot ever remember attending an award show that did not talk about the future and how it is giving the world a glimpse of it. One show is going beyond the rhetoric: LIA. Its Creative LIAisons is unique and could well end up doing more good for the future of our industry than the efforts of larger shows. It spends a great deal of time and money on the very people who will be creating that future, 100 of the world's brightest young creatives.
"LIA pays for them to fly to Vegas during the show's judging. They house them, feed them and inundate them with a week of inspiration. If only we were so lucky way back when! These passionate young creatives even get a chance to sit in and watch the juries deliberate the metal rounds. They are sworn to secrecy during the proceedings, get to question and comment after the fact. It is brilliant. Hats off to the dedicated folks behind the scenes making it happen. Any and all of us should support this show as much as we can."
Based in Singapore, Merrifield joined Google in late 2012 as Chief Creative Officer for Asia-Pacific and leads a team that is based in Singapore, Tokyo and Sydney. He has won multiple gold lions at Cannes, multiple gold pencils at the One Show, the grand prix and multiples golds at the Clios, twice best of show alongside multiple golds at AdFest, multiple golds at Spikes Asia, multiple golds at AWARD and the ADC prize in Tokyo.
Merrifield is the only person to ever be named Asia's Creative of the Year twice, in 2004 and 2008, and has been asked to judge and speak at almost every major award show on the planet.
For more information, go to www.liaawards.com.
